Phonograph delivery mechanism



April 2s, 1942. M. FINKEL ETAL 2,281,487

PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANI SM Filed April 18, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet lffaf. @Mya April 2s, 1942. M, FINKEI. ET AL, 2,281,487y

PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHAN I SM Filed April 18, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4jApril 28, 1942 M. 'FINKEL Erl-AL n PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANISM FiledApril 18, 1940 5 sheets-'sheet 5 Apri1'2s,1942. MFINKEL Em 2,281,487

I i PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed April 18, 1940 Sheets-Sheet 4April 289 1942. M. FINKEL. ETA; 2,281,487

v PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed April 1s, 1940 5 sheets-sheet 52%@ @m ff' Patented Apr. 28, 17942 UNITED OFFICE PHON OGRAIH DELIVERYMECHANISM Maurice Finkel, Philadelphia, and William P. Schmid, Yeadon,Pa.

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to the art of coin-controlled delivery ofphonograph records.

A purpose of the invention is to provide a rotatable container havingrecord stalls, each including a record-projected stop cooperating with ahand-controlled selects stop to cause registration of delivery mechanismwith the rst recordprojected stop, thus progressively delivering fromlled stalls.

A further purpose is to use a rotatable holder having a plurality ofcontainer groups and in each group a plurality of stalls for duplicaterecords in the stalls of a single group, along with cooperativehand-operated and record-operated means for limiting movement of thestalls past a delivery point by the presence or absence of a phonographrecord in the individual stalls.

A further purpose is to provide a rotatable container with a pluralityof stalls and with pin means in each stall set by a phonograph record,whereby to limit the movement of the stalls and bring a delivery spaceor stall which is loaded with a record within the reach of dischargemeans operating on the record.

A further purpose is to swing a container for phonograph records aboutan axis, to stop it by means set by the presence of a phonograph recordso as reliably to insure stopping at a loaded compartment andadditionally to check the presence of a record by interfering withdelivery.

A further purpose is to operate a rotary container for phonographrecords about an axis bringing it to rest at a loaded stall b-y stopmeans, in part controlled by the presence of a phonograph record and inpart manually controlled and to reset both-means as the record iswithdrawn.

A further purpose is to hold a spring-opened delivery door normallyclosed by spring latch means carried by our main operating lever,whereby the door is released as operation begins.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

We have preferred to illustrate the invention by one form only amongvarious forms in which it may appear, selecting forms which arepractical and effective and which at the same time well illustrate theinvention.

Figure l is a top plan view of a structure embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section upon line 3-3 of the structure seen inFigure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section upon line 4--4 of the structure seen inFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical radial section of the structure of the precedingfigures.

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the structure seen inFigure 2.

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary section oi mechanism preventingreverse movement of the rotatable container.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section upon line 8-8 of Figure 5showing delivery door latching mechanism.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section showing part of thedoor latching strucnumerals indicate like K delivered and blockingoperation when the records are exhausted, or when the delivery mechanismis not in proper position to deliver from a loaded compartment. Thesituation is further complicated when it is desired to deliver succes-,O sively any of a number of duplicate records from 3 a containerholding many types of records.

Permissible coin-controlled delivery of any one of a group of duplicaterecords among any of a number of different groups becomes increasinglyimportant in view of the large and sudden demand created by playing andsinging tunes and songs over the radio.

Our mechanism is intended to supply this need by offering a large numberof each of many records with coin-controlled delivery of any kindselected. The mechanism illustrated accommodates fteen duplicate recordsof each of a number of different kinds.

The base I5 supports a rotatable casing I6 which in the illustration isdivided between an upper chiefly supporting and record-'checking sectionIl covered at i8 and a lower record carrying stall section i9. Thecasing is carried by a bracket 20 having bearings at 2l and 22,v fromfixed bearing members 23 and 24 which are secured to or supported by afixed shaft 25.

The lower part of the casing is annular and contains verticalradially-directed stalls 26 for records. Each record is cartoned as at2l to protect it and to present a bottom 28 conveniently slidable withinthe stall and adapted to cooperate with stop mechanism.

The inside of the annulus presents an annular track 29 against whichrollers B bear. The rollers steady the rotatable parts. They aresupported by 4bearings 3| from brackets 32 and 33 carried by any fixedmembers, such as supports 34, which may be part of an annular iioor. Thelower part of the annular compartment section carries with it a toothedskirt 35 whose individual teeth 3S are adapted to serve a lockingfunction hereinafter pointed out.

The annular rotatable section is turned to desired positions by ahand-operated ring Si.

The top of the stall section is shown at 38, forming the upper wall foreach stalLand the bottoms of the stalls are shown at 39.Circumferentially the stall section is divided into groups di] of stalls25, one group for each type of record, all of which records areduplicates within the group.

The partition walls between groups are shown at 4| and the partitionwalls between the stalls of the group are shown at |32. In order toprotect against continual operation of the mechanism after all of therecords in a group have been sold, the upper wall in the last stall ofeach group is slotted at 153 to permit entry within the stall of aprojection d4, which is effectively part of arm d5 of lever Mi. Thelever is pivoted at 'i.

The lever 4S extends on the opposite side of the pivot from projectiondel to form an arm 48. The arm 45 is pulled downwardly at i8 by atensionspring i9 fastened to the lever at 58 and to the upper stall wall 38 at5|. The end 52 of lever arm 45 carries a rod 53 guided at 5 and`terminating in a stop 55 which, when in lower position and, as laterexplained, prevents the movement of a pusher frame used for ejectingrecords.

The projection 44 is in such position as to engage against the uppersurface 5t of a record carton 2'! if this last stall of the groupcontain a record and, in the `absence of a record, will .be drawn downby the tension spring so as to prevent the operation of the ejectinglever and block further operation of the device when this group isselected.

In order to indicate the existence or non-existence of a record inthis'last stall vof vthe group an indicator lever 51 is used. Itcomprises arm 58 and drum 59. These parts are pivoted at Si). The drumcarries an indication 5| which may be seen through an opening ortransparency 52.

Lever arm 58 is connectedl with the lever arm A8 by a pin B3 in the onelever arm entering into a slot 54 in the other; with the purpose Aandeffect that when the last record-in any group has been delivered thecorresponding lever arm 45 will be pulled down, and stop 55 will preventeffort to eject a record. Lever arm 48 will be lifted, lifting arm 58 ofthe indicating lever and lowering the indicator to show that all thestalls of that group are empty.

In the lower part of each record stall is a spring E5 which is shown inlifted position in Figure 5 but whose end 65 is depressed when a recordis in place. This depression of the spring carries l with it acorresponding depression of a. pin 61 which is connected withthe-spring. The springs and pins are individual, one of each for eachstall. When depressed the pin will dip below the level 68 of therotating element` so as to enter within space |59.

Asbest seenV inA Figure 3" the pins V6`| arearranged in arcuatepositions l0, lo', 152, etc., the pins within the same group such as Hlall being at one radial distance from the axis of rotation, but the pinsof each other group being at a different distance from the axis. Thearcuate positions for these pins are shown in Figure 3 where thediiferent radialv distances for the dilerent groups are apparent.

In order to facilitate orderly withdrawal of the records one at a timewithin the group it is highly desirable that the rotatable casing shallrotate in one direction only, illustrated as clockwise in Figure 3.Provision for this purpose is seen in the familiar ratchet and latchconstruction best seen in Figure '7, where the springpressed latch 7| iscarried by a fitting 'l2 attached to any part of the bottom of therotatable vcasing and the ratchet 'i3 is carried by a fixed member suchas by the annular shelf 14.

The records when ejected are pushed out, far enough-for the purchaser tograsp them, through a vertical slot door opening 15 which is closed by adoor 56. The door is mounted on vertical pintels 'i1 rigid with thedoor. To the lower pintel is attached an arm 18 drawn toward closed doorposition by a spring T9. This arm is limited in its movement to closureby a stop 8|). `In the views elements only are shown of any standardcoin controlled mechanism of which there are many available and whosecontrol is used for the purpose of releasing main lever 8| pivoted at 32from the stop control of pivoted lever arms 83. These lever arms arepivoted at 84 and are notched at their upper ends normally to hold thelever 8| in its inoperative-in the illustration raised-position- Thecoin slide 85 is shown as representing one part of a coin control box 8Swhose mechanism causes release of pivoted arms 84 from their positionseen in Figure 5 where they prevent downward movement of main operatinglever 8|. The intermediate character of the coin control-box isimmaterial to the present invention, which is not concerned with whetherit be mechanical or electrical, for example, providing that some stopmechanism holds the main lever 8| in its inoperative position until thecoin or coins is or are inserted and the control operated for therelease of this lever.

The main operating lever. 3| is connected by link 81 with a lever 88pivoted at 93 provided with a projection or arm 9G, which lies below theswinging level of the levei` arm 18 and which carries a-spring latch 9|urged to operating position by a spring 92.

When the door-has been opened and is drawn toward closed position byspring 'I9 lever arm 18 passes over the projection 59 including anymechanism byv which the latch 9| is supported. It kpresses the latch 9|downwardly against the upward urge of this spring 92 untilthe lever armreaches approximately the position seen in Figure 8, at which positionlatch 9| springs upwardly and holds the arm 'I8 .in positioncorresponding to the closed position of the door.

Lever arm 88 is pivoted in a bracket 93. When the locking arms by whichthe main lever 8|V is held in its inoperative position releasethis leverand the lever is pressed downwardly, this downward movement of the levercarries with it lever 88 and by the downward swing of lever 8|' carriesthe latch 9| beneath the level of the larm 18, leaving the door free toopen againstzthe pull of spring i9 and underl the urge ofthe ca-r-Vtoned record, as the record is ejected.

When the way has been cleared by coin control release of the parts foroperation of the mechanism the main lever 8| is depressed, carrying withit link 94 pivoted to it at 95. The link is connected pivotally at 96 toan end 91 of a bellcrank lever 98 pivoted at 99 to a xed part.

The other bell-crank lever I is spring-retracted at I0| and is connectedwith pin |02 fixed to an ejecting plunger. Movement of the parts isaccommodated by slot |03 in the lever and |04 in a fixed cover for theplunger |05. The plunger has a head |06 and is suitably guided at |07.In use it passes within the proper one of ejection slots |08, of whichone is provided in the inner wall end of each of the stalls. Y

When the plunger head is opposite the last stall of a group an absenceof a record within this stall causes rocking of lever 45 and depressionof stop 55 until it comes in position so as to interfere with forwardmovement of the pusher plunger, lever 8| cannot be depressed. Theindicator mechanism shown in Figure will be operated to show that thereare no more records in this group. Button |09 can then be operated toreturn the coin used.

The selector buttons and plungers are shown in elevation in Figure 5 andin transversesection in Figure 6. Because there are fteen stalls in eachgroup fifteen operating selector buttons I|0 are shown, there being 4anadditional resetting button I in any convenient position. The plungers I2 of all of the sixteen buttons are guided, front and rear, in front andrear xed plates I|3, ||4 and all the plungers are resiliently returnedby springs I I 5.

These plungers pass through a movable latch plate IIB which is drawnupwardly by a spring II'I. This plate is for the purpose of retainingthe plungers in their depressed positions so that they need not be heldin order to maintain the selection. W'hen any one of the plungers ispushed in a wedge I|8 on the plunger engages the plate IIB and depressesit until the shoulder ||9 passes the plate, when the plate jumpsupwardly and holds the selector plunger in position.-

Pushing any button through its plunger causes longitudinal thrust upon acorresponding flexible shaft |20 which causes projection of a stop |2|into space 69 at a distance from the axis corresponding to the positionof the pins for this group, a different distance for each hand pressedselector button, plunger, shaft and stop, in order to cooperate with thecorresponding set of record operated stops 6l for the group. A fewiiexible shafts and stops |2| only are shown, but it will be understoodthat each group of stops 6'I is controlled by a separate button with itsindividual plunger, shaft and stop |2|.

If there be any record in lany of the stalls of this group thecorresponding pin or pins 61 will be depressed in position where it orthey will engage with the stop |2|. The pin engaged will be that pincorresponding with the first of the loaded stalls in that group in thedirection of movement of the rotatable casing. The engagement of therecord operated stop 5l with the stop |2| aligns this first loaded stallwith the ejecting mechanism. Perfect alignment of the parts is securedby a prong |22 upon lever |00 in such position as to engage with one ofthe teeth within the skirt of the rotatable casing.

Not only does the registration of the prong with the proper tooth insureregistration between the ejecting members and the opening |08 on the oneyhand and the record and outlet through the door at the other end of theejecting range, but the entry of the prong within the tooth 36 preventsrotation of the rotary container during the operation of the ejectinglever.

Should the intending customer change his mind and decide that he doesnot wish to get any record, or that he will select a record of adifferent group he can release the button and plunger depressed bypushing down on the plate I5 through operating button ||I and its camface ||8 but lacks a shoulder H8. This depresses plate 5 and'releasesall plungers. On the other hand, if he merely press another button itsplunger wedge will depress the plate allowing the first plunger pressedto be retracted while the wedge of the second plunger pressed pressesthrough the plate and before the plate lifts to latch under the shoulderof the second plunger.

It will be evident that the stop mechanism carried by lever 45 andindividual to the last stalls in each of the different groups is recordoperated, i. e., record released, in that the absence of a record in agiven nal stall will cause its operation.

It will be evident that the hand-operated selector buttons and leverscan operate to set up the selector stops in any part of thecircumference of the rotary container except when the group of recordoperated stops 6l for which it is set up is opposite the selector-setstop.

In operation the customer presses the desired selector button inward,turns the rotary container i6 until it is brought to rest by the iirstdownwardly presented stop 6l coming against the stop |2| presentedupwardly by depressing the selector button. The customer now notes atthe indicator 6| that the desired record is in discharge position,inserts the coin and depresses the discharge lever 8|. This advances theplunger |06 to push the record carton forward, the forward edge of thecarton pushing open the door 'I6 and presenting the carton for easywithdrawal by the customer.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benets of myinvention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claimall such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire vtosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary casing having vertical radial stalls adapted to holdcartoned phonograph records on the edge, an ejecting mechanism to ejectthe records from the stalls in ejecting positions, locking means forinterlocking the casing and the delivery mechanism when the latterbegins to operate, a lever adapted to control ejection of a phonographrecord, a plurality of springs, one in each stall adapted to bedownwardly pressed by a record in said stall, revoluble stops, onecarried by each of the springs to present the stops beneath the casing,coin-controlled means for releasing the ejecting lever and hand-operatedselective means cooperating with the revoluble stops to limit movementof the casing when a stall containing a record comes in line with anejecting position.

2. In a coin-controlled phonograph record delivery mechanism, a rotarycasing, a plurality of record-holding stalls adapted to deliver fromdelivery positions progressively until all the records have beendelivered, record-operated stops carried by vthe rotary casing, 'oneadapted toV be projected from each stall, a hand-operated selector stopadapted to engage withrecord-operated stops which are projected, and ahandoperated mechanism aligned successively LWith record-holding stallsby engagement between successive record-operated stops and the selectorstop.

3. In a phonograph record, coin-controlled delivery. mechanism, anannular rotatable casing, partitions dividing the casing into recordstalls each extending inwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis, aplurality of springs-one in each stall, revoluble stop pins carried bythe casing, one lying under each spring and adapted to be depressed whena phonograph record is. in place, the pins being located in groups atdifferent distances from the axis of the casing and manually operatedstops located at distances from the casing axis corresponding to thelocations of the pins.

4. In coin-controlled mechanism for delivering phonograph records, arotary casing having a plurality of stalls in each of a plurality ofgroups of stalls of phonograph records, record-controlled stop means ineach of the stalls projecting :from the stalls when a record is inplace, the projections in dilerent groups being at diierent distancesfrom the axis of rotation, selector levers and connections, one for eachgroup, and stops operated by them, the stops Voperating at distancesfrom the axis of rotation corresponding, for different stops, with thedistances for record operated stops in different groups, permittingengagement successively between the record controlled stops fordifferent records in the same group and the selector stop to alignsuccessive stalls with discharge positions, and lever-operated mechanismfor discharging the records one by one from their stalls, Areleased bythe coincontrolled mechanism.

5, In coin-controlled mechanism for phonograph records, a rotary casinghaving a plurality oi stalls in each of different groups, means forstopping rotation of the casing in one direction, record-controlledstops revoluble with the casing and having in diierent groupsprojections at diierent distances from the axis of rotation,`

hand-controlled selector stops iixed against rotation and adapted to barmovement of the record-controlled stops when the latter arerecordprojected and to stop rotation of the casing at the position ofthe earliest record-controlled stop of a group which is projected,considered in the direction of rotation and ejecting mechanism releasedby coin control when the casing has been brought to a stop by engagementof a selector stop with a record-controlled stop.

6. In a coin-controlled delivery mechanism for handling phonographrecords, a rotatable casing having inwardly and outwardly directeddivision walls, and intermediately located inwardly and outwardlydirected partition walls providingstalls in groups for phonographrecords, ejecting mechanism mounted at the interior of the casing-*andadapted to deliver radially a phonograph record located in any of thestalls within the `casing when this stall lies opposite the ejectingdelivery mechanism, coin-controlled means for releasing the ejectingmechanism and selector mechanism for determining the stall from whichejection may be made, the selector mechanism including stops,one forveachrecord stall, record means for depressing the stops tomake themeffective and hand-operated means engaged by the stops, and means`connected with thel delivery ejecting mechanism for interlocking thecasing and ejecting mechanism when the latter begins topperate.

'7. In a coin-controlled delivery mechanism .for handling phonographrecords, a rotatable'casing having a plurality of stalls` for records ofthe same character, in each of several groups, means for successivelydischarging individual records, one at a time from the stalls, includinga discharge plunger, means for blocking the advance of the dischargeplunger and means engaging the record intended last to be discharged inits group and operative to release the blocking means when said lastrecord is in place.

. 8. In a coin-controlled delivery mechanism for handling phonographrecords, a rotatable casing, means for restricting movement of thecasing to one direction. of rotary movement, a discharge plunger adaptedto discharge the records one after another, a coin-controlled operatinglever and connections for moving the discharge plunger, means forblocking the advance of the discharge plunger and means engaging therecord intended last to be discharged in its group and operative torelease the blocking means when said last record is in place.

, idividing the casing into a plurality of stalls in each of a pluralityof groups, a discharge plunger adapted to discharge the records oneafter another -from any of the stalls in any of the groups, when thestall is aligned with the plunger,

; acoin-controlled operating lever and connections for moving thedischarge plunger, means for each of the groups of stalls located in thelast stall of thegroup and adapted to rest upon the top of a record whenthe stall is illed and to move downwardly because of lack of fullsupport when the stall is empty and a stop carried by said meansinterrupting discharge movement of the plunger when the last stall ofthe group is empty.

10. In coin-controlled delivery mechanism for phonograph records, arotary casing having a plurality of stalls in each of a plurality ofgroup positions, a plunger adapted to eject records from any of thestalls when aligned with the plunger in a discharge position, levermeans for operating the plunger, stops adapted each in one position toprevent movement of the plunger, arms each carrying a stop, spring meansfor operating the arms toward stop position and projections moving withthe arms and adapted each to rest upon a record, one each in each iinalstall of the different groups in the direction of rotation, whereby inthe absence of a record the arm is free to move and the stop is set toblock delivery.

"ll,- In coin-controlled delivery mechanism for phonograph records, arotary container, walls forming a plurality of stalls in each of aplurality of groups about the circumference of said container,record-operated stop means, individual to the stalls, cooperatinghand-operated selector 'aligning .with the delivery mechanism andrecordoperated stop means individual to the last stall in each grouppreventing movement of the delivery mechanism when the last record of agiven group has been delivered.

12. In a coin-controlled record delivery mechanism, a rotary containerhaving vertically and radially arranged record-holding stalls, means foraligning record-holding stalls successively with a discharge position,means for discharging the records one at a time through a dischargeopening, a door resiliently closing the discharge opening, a latchnormally holding the door in closed position, a lever carrying the latchand lever-operated discharge mechanism adapted when operated to withdrawthe latch lever and the latch from position holding the door closed.

MAURICE FINKEL. WILLIAM P. SCHMID.

